Updated: 1 hour ago Published: 2 hours ago

Alaska State Troopers who were called to the village of Aniak on Thursday for reports of gunfire found a home engulfed by flames and later found human remains inside, they said.

Several people in the village had reported hearing random gunshots, although there were no reports of threats or anyone being shot at, said troopers spokesman Austin McDaniel. Aniak-based troopers and wildlife troopers were patrolling the village near the slough around 11:30 a.m. to try to find the source of the sporadic gunfire when they saw a house fully engulfed by flames, McDaniel said.

They worked with community members to suppress the fire, and later the remains of the homeowner were found inside, troopers said.

During the investigation, troopers identified the homeowner as the person suspected to be firing a gun, McDaniel said. The remains will be sent to the State Medical Examiner Office for an autopsy to determine the cause of death, McDaniel said.

The State Fire Marshal’s Office will investigate the cause and origin of the fire.

Aniak is situated along the Kuskokwim River roughly 90 air miles northeast of Bethel.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.

Thinking Alaska is small and drivable

I’m always surprised by how many visitors think Alaska is small — but I guess if you’re used to seeing us tucked into a map inset right next to Hawaii, that makes sense.

In truth, Alaska is so big that if you split it into two states, both halves would be bigger than Texas. You can easily spend four to six hours — or more — just driving from one large community to the next.

However, Alaska has a shockingly limited road network for such a huge state. If we say a community is “off the road system,” it means you can’t drive there. Instead, you’ll have to catch a plane or, in some limited cases, a boat to get there.

Not learning the local vocabulary

In Alaska, we have lots of local lingo that can be helpful to know. For example, if someone says they’re going outside, they’re not just leaving the building — they’re leaving the state. To us, outside means anywhere that’s not Alaska.

Another thing to remember is that we don’t typically use road numbers for our highways (no matter what your GPS tries to tell you). Instead, we use the names of highways.

Forgetting that some attractions and activities are seasonal

Here in Alaska, some of our biggest attractions are only available for a few months of the year.

Two big ones to keep in mind are bear viewing season, which typically peaks with the salmon runs in July and August, and aurora viewing season, which runs from roughly late August to late April.

Missing out on Alaska Native culture

The umbrella term for Alaska’s Indigenous people is Alaska Native. Most towns have at least one cultural center where visitors can learn about the Alaska Native traditions in that region.

These facilities are part visitor center and part museum, and offer a celebration of Native traditions and culture. I always recommend that tourists take the time to explore these centers.

Expecting the wildlife — or the weather — to be predictable

Every year, Alaska tour guides field sincere questions like “When are the moose scheduled to show up?” That makes perfect sense in a controlled environment like a zoo, but Alaska’s wildlife are … well, wild … and come and go whenever they like.

Our weather does pretty much the same thing, so if you’re determined to hide inside until the rain and wind stop or the sun comes out, you’ll miss out on a lot.

Dressing in layers can help visitors stay comfortable, no matter what the weather is doing. I recommend lighter layers in the summer and heavier layers in winter, but some sort of weatherproof outer layer is always a must.

Trying to do too much in one trip

When traveling to a new location, there’s a lot of pressure to visit as many destinations as possible. But if you never take a minute to enjoy just being here, you’re missing out on a big chunk of the Alaska experience.

Plus, having a little flex time in your schedule helps to accommodate inevitable weather days when excessive wind, rain, or rough seas keep you from doing planned activities. I recommend giving yourself two or three days in a community before moving on.

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